How they met: Thomas, 64, and Robert, 69, met in one of the two gay bars in Minneapolis at the time. The next morning, Robert called a friend and said he thought he'd met the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. In 1975, they took the same last name. The former San Franciscans, now retired, moved to Palm Springs in 2000.

"This is a dream come true," said Thomas. "I never thought we'd see this day. I'm so happy. I've loved him for 40 years, and now I can legally marry him."